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Great Lakes Region Simulated Disaster Relief Mission

March 1, 2020

Civil Air Patrol's Great Lake Region is conducting a disaster relief exercise during the first two weeks of March. This operation simulates our ability to respond to flooding along the Mississippi River as well as our ability to manage other simultaneously occurring emergency missions. 

Cadet and adult volunteers from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin, will serve as air and ground crews for a variety of activities likely in any regional disaster. Previous exercises included: 

- Aerial Photography flights of more than 600 miles of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers 

to document changing flood stages and deteriorating bridge conditions - Medical and other transportation flights typically needed when ground infrastructure becomes impassible - Aerial Photography flights to document Chicago’s major evacuation routes - Air and ground searches for missing or overdue aircraft, missing persons, and 

emergency beacons - Flights to provide non-cellular, area communications options 

Civil Air Patrol, a volunteer auxiliary of the United States Air Force, regularly prepares for these and other real-world missions requested by the U.S. Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Army Medical Corps, Departments of Transportation in most states, and several other agencies. 

This exercise is especially challenging given the length of the simulated disaster and the large staffing needs which would tax any volunteer organization. 

Tagged As: Emergency Services

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